Stop-motion for sheet counters

ABSTRACT

In a sheet counter in which the operations of a motor and a vacuum pump are stopped by an output signal of a comparison circuit produced when the number of sheets counted thereby agrees with a present number, a stop-motion is comprised of electromagnet means, a stop swingably supported at one end, and a link extending therebetween. Upon application of the signal from the comparison circuit to the control circuit of the sheet counter, the electromagnet means is energized to pull the link, which, in turn, moves the stop into contact with a stack of sheets to be left uncounted in the sheet counter.

United States Patent [191 Shigemori et al.

[111 3,795,796 Mar. 5, 1974 STOP-MOTION FOR SHEET COUNTERS [75]Inventors: Hideto Shigemori; Masahiro Abe,

both of l'limeji, Japan [73] Assignee: Glory Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha,

Himeji-shi, Japan [22] Filed: Dec. 29, 1971 211 Appl. No.: 213,248

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 29, 1970 Japan 45-121647[52] US. Cl. 235/92 SB, 235/92 R, 235/92 PE, 235/92 CA, 235/98 R, 271/27[51] Int. Cl. G06m 3/02 [58] Field of Search. 235/92 SB, 92 J, 92 PE, 92C, 235/92 CA, 98 R, 132 E; 271/27 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,652,834 3/1972 Shigemori et al. 235/92 SB 3,413,451 ll/l968Buchholz et al. 235/92 PE Primary Examiner-Paul J. Henon AssistantExaminerJoseph M. Thesz, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Holman & Stern [57 ABSTRACT In a sheet counter in which the operations of a motor and avacuum pump are stopped by an output signal of a comparison circuitproduced when the number of sheets counted thereby agrees with a presentnumber, a stop-motion is comprised of electromagnet means, a stopswin'gably' supported at one end, and a link extending therebetween.Upon application of the signal from the comparison circuit to thecontrol circuit of the sheet counter, the electromagnet means isenergized to pull the link, which, in turn, moves the stop into contactwith a stack of sheets to be left uncounted in the sheet counter.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEB HA8 5 I974 sum 1 era FIG.

PATENTED 3.795.796

SHEEI 2 OF 3 FIG. 3

PATENTEDHAR 51914 3.795.796

SHEU 3 OF 3 FIG. 4

svo 6% I 2% 9 IO STOP-MOTION FOR SHEET COUNTERS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates generally to counters of bank notes andother sheets of paper having a definite size (hereinafter referred to asa sheet counter). More specifically, the invention is directed to anovel stopmotion for such sheet counters designed to stop their countingoperation at the exact moment when a preset number of sheets have beencounted.

A typical example of known sheet counters includes an electric motor forrotating a disc on which a plurality of suction heads are rotatablymounted, and a vacuum pump for creating vacuum in the suction heads.Sheets held in a stack within the counter are successively separatedinto another stack by the suction heads which rotate on their own axeswhile revolving around the axis of the disc. When a present number ofsheets have been thus counted, the operations of both the motor and thevacuum pump must be rapidly stopped so that no more sheet or sheets maybe counted.

In this instance, however, an excessive current tends to flow to themotor to overheat the same. The rapid braking action of the motorresults also in the ready wear of both the brake and the aforesaidrotary disc. Thus, upon termination of a single counting operation ofthe prior sheet counter, a sheet or sheets not to be counted have oftenbeen left loose between the stacks of uncounted and already countedsheets, or, worse yet, carried to the latter stack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention toprovide a novel stop-motion for sheet counters which is designed tosecurely hold a stack of sheets to be left uncounted upon completion ofeach counting operation, so that an exactly preset number of sheets arecounted unfailingly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stopmotion of simple andinexpensive construction which can be easily built into she'et countersof prior design.

According to the present invention, briefly stated, there is providedwith a stop-motion for a sheet counter of a type comprising a motor forrotating a disc, a vacuum pump for creating a desired degree of vacuumin a plurality of suction heads rotatably mounted on the disc, andelectric circuit means which stops the operations of the motor and thevacuum pump upon application of an output signal of a comparison circuitwhich is produced when the number of sheets counted by the sheet counteragrees with a preset number; The stopmotion of the invention, which isbuilt in the sheet counter of the above described construction,comprises electromagnet means, a stop connected to the electromagnetmeans and operable upon energization thereof to hold a stack of sheetsto be left uncounted against the action of the suction heads, and switchmeans which is closed for energizing the electromagnet means uponapplication of the output signal of the comparison circuit to theelectric circuit means.

The above stated and various other objects of the invention, as well asadvantages and characteristic features thereof will become more apparentand understandable as the description proceeds hereinbelow withreference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a control circuit of a prior sheet counterto which the stop-motion of the present invention may be applied;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the stop-motion of the invention asactually built in a sheet counter;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the example of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a comparison circuit and a relayenergization circuit of a sheet counter to which is applied thestop-motion of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a circuit adapted for stopping the operationof the sheet counter and actuating the stop-motion of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A prior sheet counter which is susceptible to thedeficiencies noted previously in this specification and to which isapplicable the stop-motion of this invention may be electricallycircuited as illustrated in FIG. 1. Bus lines P and N in the circuitdiagram are connected to a suitable AC power supply. When a startingswitch, not shown, of the sheet counter is closed after the number ofsheets to be counted by each counting operation has been set inaccordance with the prior art, a vacuum pump connected in a separatelyprovided vacuum circuit, not shown, is set in motion. A movable contactmember of a vacuum control switch V-SW is switched from contact Nc tocontact No as a predetermined degree of vacuum is succeedingly attained.A circuit including a relay X is now completed. Upon energization ofthis relay, its contacts X and X are bpth switched to contacts No. Amotor M is thus set in operation, the motor being coupled to a disc onwhich a plurality of suction heads are rotatably mounted.

When the preset number of sheets have been counted in a mannerhereinafter to be described, a contact SIG is switched from contact Ncto contact No by an output signal of a comparison circuit, which also isto be described later in greater detail, thereby opening the circuit ofthe relay X and completing a circuit for a timedelay relay TDL. Uponde-energization of the relay X, its contacts X, and X are switched backto contacts Nc, when the motor M is disconnected from the power supply.A DC braking circuit B is now set in operation to rapidly arrest therevolution of the motor M. Thereafter, with a suitable delay, thetime-delay relay TDL becomes operative to open its contact TDL connectedin the braking circuit B and hence to terminate the braking operation ofthe motor.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 in order to describe the construction ofa sheet counter with its built-in stop-motion of this invention, a disc1 is fixedly mounted on a drive shaft 2 extending from a motor not shownin the drawings. A plurality of, five in this embodiment, suction heads3 are mounted on the disc at the same distance from its center, each ofthe suction heads having a port 4 in communication with a vacuum pump ina separately provided vacuum circuit, not shown. It is assumed that, asthe disc 1 is rotated in the direction of arrow a in FIG. 3, the suctionheads mounted thereupon are rotated on their respective shafts in thedirection of arrow b in the same drawing, and that the successivesuction heads 3 never face an uncounted stack of sheets 5a without theirports 4 directed toward the same.

A support 6 on which abuts a neatly arranged stack of sheets is providedadjacent to the periphery of the disc 1. Also adjacent to the peripheryof the disc, and close to one edge of the stack of sheets 5, a stop 7 isprovided to prevent the foremost sheet or sheets of the uncounted'stack5a from being carried over to a stack of already counted sheets 5b upontermination of each counting operation, as hereinafter described ingreater detail.

The stop 7 is swingably supported by a pin 8 at one end thereof, whileanother pin 9 is planted approxi mately in the mid-part of the stop foroperative connection with a link Ill extending from electromagnet means10. A spring member 12 is further connected to the mid-part of the stop7, the other end of the spring member being suitably secured to thecounter frame. In this manner, the stop 7 is retained in its position I,indicated by the dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 3, by the spring member 12during counting operation, when the electromagnet means 10 isunenergized, and is moved over to its position II, shown by the solidlines in the same drawing, upon termination of the counting operation,when the electromagnet means 10 is energized.

In the above described construction and arrangement of the sheet counterand the stop-motion therefor, the number of sheets to be counted by eachcounting operation is precedingly set by the operator in accordance withthe prior art. As the sheet counter is set in operation, the drive shaft2 extending from the motor starts rotating the disc 1 at a predeterminedspeed. By the partial vacuum created within the suction heads 3, the

foremost one of the uncounted stack of sheets 5a is drawn and attachedto the most adjacently located one of the heads. As this suction head issucceedingly revolved around the drive shaft 2 in the direction of thearrow awhile rotating on its own shaft in the direction of the arrow b,as seen in FIG. 3, the foremost sheet is carried away from the rest ofthe uncounted sheets 50 and is completely separated therefrom by thenext suction head, which similarly draws the next sheet. In this mannerthe successive sheets are carried to the stack 5b of counted sheets,five sheets being counted by each complete revolution of the disc 1 inthis particular example.

As the preset number of sheets have been counted, the rotation of thedisc 1 and of the suction heads 3 mounted thereupon is stoppedautomatically, in a manner still to be described, whereas theelectromagnet means 10 becomes operative to pull the link 11 towarditself; The stop 7 now travels from the aforesaid position I thereof tothe position II, where it holds the uncounted stack of sheets 5a inplace against any persisting action of the suction heads 3. There ispractically no possibility of an additional sheet or sheets being leftloose between the stacks of uncounted and counted sheets, or beingcarried to the latter stack, upon completion of the counting operation.

Electric circuits for the control of the above described operation ofthe sheet counter and the stopmotion in accordance with this inventionare illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Referring first to FIG. 4, acomparison circuit C is supplied with the signals from a rotary switch,not shown, in which is stored the aforesaid preset number to be counted,and an indicator tube, also not shown, which conveys the number ofsheets actually counted. Making comparison between' the preset number ofsheets and the number actually counted, the

comparison circuit C supplies a signal when the two number agrees. Thethus-supplied output signal of the comparison circuit is impressed to acircuit D to energize a relay SIG.

Thereupon, as illustrated in FIG. 5, a contact SIG of the relay SIG,which has been connected to a contact Nc, is switched to another contactN0, thereby energizing an electromagnet Mg of the aforesaidelectromagnet means 10. Simultaneously, as the relay SIG, is

switched from its contact Nc to contact No, a relay X connected theretois de-energiz'ed. A relay contact X is now switched from contact Nc tocontact No to terminate the operation of the motor M adapted forrotation of the disc 1, FIGS. 2 and 3.

Although the stop-motion for sheet counters in accordance with thepresent invention has been shown and described in the foregoing in termsof a preferred embodiment thereof, the invention, itself, is notconsidered to be restricted by the exact showing of the drawings and thedescription thereof, but includes a latitude of modification,substitution, and change. It is, therefore, appropriate that theappended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with thespirit and scope of the invention herein disclosed.

We claim:

1. A stop motion apparatus for a sheet counter of the type having atleast one suction head for sucking and turning over sheets held in astack by sheet-holding means to thereby counta number of sheets, vacuumcreating means for creating a desired degree of vacuum in the suctionhead, and a motor for moving the suction head to turn over the sheets,in which said sheetholding means comprises a first holding memberprovided on that side of said stack from which said sheets are sucked,for holding said stack at that end portion thereof which is not suckedand turned over, and a second holding member provided on the other sideof said stack and confronting said first holding member, for holding thesheets in said stack with said first holding member, which stop-motionapparatus comprises:

a stop member means disposed besidea path of sheet movement defined byturning over the-sheets by means of said suction head;

electromagnet means for moving said stop member means into said path ofsheet movement;

a comparison circuit means for comparing a number of counted sheets witha preset number of sheets to be counted and for producing a coincidencesignal when said number of counted sheets and said preset number ofsheets are coincident with each other;

switching means operatively activated coincidence said conincidencesignal;

circuit means including said electromagnet means and said motor andbeing operatively associated with said switching means so that uponproduction of said coincidence signal said switching means causes saidelectromagnet means to be energized to thereby move said stop membermeans into said path of sheet movement so that a stack of uncountedsheets is held between said stop member means and said second holdingmember to thereby separate a stack of counted sheets from said stack ofuncounted sheets among the sheets held by said sheet holding means, andthe operation of said motor is stopped.

' ported at one end and is connected to said electromag- 6 2. Thestop-motion apparatus according to claim 1, contact with said stack ofuncounted sheets. wherein said stop member means 1s swmgably sup- Thestopmotion apparatus according to claim 2,

net means through a link, said link being displaced by wherein said Stopmember means normally held m said electromagnet means upon energizationthereof to 5 position by a spring member move the free end of said stopmember means into

1. A stop motion apparatus for a sheet counter of the type having atleast one suction head for sucking and turning over sheets held in astack by sheet-holding means to thereby count a number of sheets, vacuumcreating means for creating a desired degree of vacuum in the suctionhead, and a motor for moving the suction head to turn over the sheets,in which said sheet-holding means comprises a first holding memberprovided on that side of said stack from which said sheets are sucked,for holding said stack at that end portion thereof which is not suckedand turned over, and a second holding member provided on the other sideof said stack and confronting said first holding member, for holding thesheets in said stack with said first holding member, which stop-motionapparatus comprises: a stop member means disposed beside a path of sheetmovement defined by turning over the sheets by means of said suctionhead; electromagnet means for moving said stop member means into saidpath of sheet movement; a comparison circuit means for comparing anumber of counted sheets with a preset number of sheets to be countedand for producing a coincidence signal when said number of countedsheets and said preset number of sheets are coincident with each other;switching means operatively activated coincidence said conincidencesignal; circuit means including said electromagnet means and said motorand being operatively associated with said switching means so that uponproduction of said coincidence signal said switching means causes saidelectromagnet means to be energized to thereby move said stop membermeans into said path of sheet movement so that a stack of uncountedsheets is held between said stop member means and said second holdingmember to thereby separate a stack of counted sheets from said stack ofuncounted sheets among the sheets held by said sheet holding means, andthe operation of said motor is stopped.
 2. The stop-motion apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said stop member means is swingablysupported at one end and is connected to said electromagnet meansthrough a link, said link being displaced by said electromagnet meansupon energization thereof to move the free end of said stop member meansinto contact with said stack of uncounted sheets.
 3. The stop-motionapparatus according to claim 2, wherein said stop member means isnormally held in position by a spring member.